DNA structures embedded with functionalized nanomaterials for biophysical applications

DNA has emerged as a useful building block for the construction of various one-, two- and three-dimensional structures. DNA structures embedded with functionalized nanomaterials are emerging for various applications, especially for biophysical applications such as drug delivery, diagnostics, biolabeling, biosensing and biodevices. This review outlines the broad spectrum of recent advances in applied DNA nanotechnology and discusses various types of DNA structures, the construction of protein-embedded DNA structures, DNA structures for drug carriers, the usage of small nucleic-acid molecules and the significance of nanoparticle-attached, carbon-based, fluorescent nanomaterial-added and ion-doped DNA structures. Finally, it provides perspectives on nanoscale structuring, emphasizes the need for sufficient production yields and up-scalable synthesis and the structural stability and future development of nanomaterial-embedded DNA structures.